BMC Intern's take on her Summer experience
Deniz Dutton joined BMC as a Studio and Field intern for the summer of 2017. Entering the 11th grade, she took full advantage of all that BMC had to offer in order to drastically improve her video production skills, and was a phenominal addition to the BMC team. Here is her take on her expeirence as a BMC intern:
"When I first walked into the Belmont Media Center to start my internship this summer, I barely knew a thing about video production and editing. All I knew is that I wanted to learn; and from that day on, that’s exactly what I did. With the help of all of the amazing staff, I learned how to plan, shoot, and edit media. I learned how to be a floor director during a live TV production, and above all I learned how to work as part of a team. So many opportunities have been given to me to push myself to do things I never dreamed I could do; I made a movie, dabbled in graphics and special effects, even conducted an interview in the Museum of Science!
The memories I have made and people I have met here are unforgettable. I have been inspired by the talent and creativity of the people I have collaborated with, through which I learned the value of discussing ideas openly and ultimately creating something far better then what could have been done by one person alone. In particular, I completed a few projects in collaboration with another intern, Ezra, who studies at the Maine College of Art, and his many insights helped make the finished product better than anything I could have imagined myself. Working with Ezra really made me see the value in other people’s perspectives, and how teamwork is important because everyone has different and fascinating ideas to bring to the table.
The time I spent at BMC also helped me see the value in community. I had the chance to meet so many inspirational people, and I was so glad that BMC provided the resources to help them carry out their individual visions. I met volunteers and producers alike, such as Carol Yelverton. Yvonne Stapp, and Joanna Tzouvelis, people who want to express themselves (free speech) about science, safety, health, food, travel, politics and community publicly, and had the means to do so thanks to the media center. I am proud to have worked in an organization dedicated to giving everyone a voice, supporting creative thinking and giving the public access to technology and equipment that would be otherwise hard to get.
Belmont Media Center opens their doors to the entire community, but is also very involved with it out of doors, as well. I have lived in this town my whole life, and have always seen or heard of them in one way or another; if I’m at a football game or concert at the High School, or enjoying Town Day or a race, Belmont Media Center is there too. They are woven into the fabric of our community and to me, they have always been like neighbors. That is why it was the most natural thing in the world to come work here for the summer and see first hand how they manage to help the community in so many different ways.
Although I’m leaving, I plan to stay active as a member of the Media Center. There are things I will miss, however, like the many rambling conversations shared with staff, spending time in the studio talking to producers before or after a production, seeing those productions aired later and knowing I had a part in their making. Still, the BMC has given me many skills that will be a big help in life, and those, I will not be leaving behind. More and more, knowing how to work with media is becoming a necessity in order to be successful in the world, and so I will always be grateful to the staff and board of the Belmont Media Center for providing invaluable experience."
Thank you for all of your hard work, Deniz! You were a valuable team member at BMC this summer, and we hope to see you again soon.
If you're interested in interning at the Belmont Media Center during the summer or school year, contact Jeff Hansell and visit our Intern page for more information.